Courthouse mercury spill might be criminal

MOUNT GILEAD, Ohio -- Authorities suspect that someone intentionally spilled mercury inside the Morrow County courthouse and are investigating the incident as a crime.

MOUNT GILEAD, Ohio -- Authorities suspect that someone intentionally spilled mercury inside the Morrow County courthouse and are investigating the incident as a crime.

The courthouse was evacuated and closed Wednesday after employees returning from lunch discovered the poisonous metal in a hallway near an elevator, Morrow County Sheriff Steven R. Brenneman said in a news release yesterday.

Evidence from the scene includes video-surveillance equipment that was recording when the incident occurred. Preliminary viewing has indicated a "potential subject of interest," and more will be known after the video image is enhanced, Brenneman said.

There were no reports of injuries or illness, although six of 78 people checked for contamination were required to go through a decontamination process, Brenneman said.

Cleanup is continuing under the direction of the Environmental Protection Agency and is expected to last into the weekend, Brenneman said.

All divisions of the Morrow County Common Pleas Court are currently operating out of the county commissioners' office. All other county offices and departments based in the courthouse remain closed.

The Morrow County Health Department will determine when the building is safe to reopen.